Microlenses are widely used in telecommunications systems and optical devices such as switches, circulators, isolators, and wavelength division multiplexers. Microlenses are frequently used to focus and/or collimate light emitted from a light source, for example, a laser, or other optical components into an optical fiber. In many applications, it may be necessary to maintain polarization of light in an optical device or system, and it may be necessary to insert a polarizer in the path of the light to control polarization. The addition of a separate polarizer element can add at least two or more optical surfaces to a system. Additional optical surfaces have undesirable associated transmission loss resulting from an increase in reflection.
There is a trend toward miniaturization of optical devices. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a microlens having a polarizer element that does not add two or more optical surfaces. A microlens and polarizer with fewer optical surfaces would also potentially reduce the complexity of devices and manufacturing time and cost. It would be desirable to provide a microlens and polarizer that does not require welding, soldering, or adhesives to permanently affix the separate components in place.